In Sickness and In Death
by Earendil Eldar
Summary: Ianto's home ill, unable to provide back-up, and Jack ends up dead (well, no more than usual). But that's a deal Jack's more than willing to make.


"Yan?" Jack said leaning over Ianto's pillow. He gently stroked Ianto's cheek with the side of his finger. "Hey…."

"Jack…," Ianto groaned. "Not now."

Jack wasn't sure he wanted to mention that Ianto had slept through the alarm. Ianto was warm and flushed, not unlike in the throes of passion, but there hadn't even been that the night before when Ianto was asleep before his head hit the pillow. No doubt about it, Ianto was under the weather.

Jack frowned. "Alright. You aren't getting out of bed today."

Even through a layer of sleep and fever Ianto rolled his eyes. "Behave," he said, his voice gravelly and strained. "Shit. I've got to get up…. Feel like hell. What did you do to me last night? Last time my throat was this sore was when you used… no, I definitely got rid of that stuff."

Jack chuckled. Yeah, experimenting with capsicum cream maybe wasn't the best idea, but at least they'd had a laugh once the burning died down for both of them. "No, I think the common earth term for it is 'under the weather,' Ianto. Which also translates as 'day off' in earth vernacular, as I understand it."

"Then you've got your translations wrong, spaceman, because that one isn't in _my_ vocabulary," Ianto grumbled.

"Well it's in mine, and you're staying home," Jack said seriously.

"Jack, really, I can just take something, I'll be fine. We're already short with Gwen on holiday, what if we need to save the whole of Wales today and I'm lying about in bed?"

Jack crossed his arms. "What if we're out saving the whole of Wales today and you, being the most vulnerable, are hurt? No deal from where I'm standing. You stay here until you're better. That's an official Imperative Harkness Directive."

"It loses a certain amount of its imperativeness when delivered in boxer shorts."

"Sure about that?" Jack winked, canting his hips forward.

"Stop it, you," Ianto mumbled, burrowing back into his pillow.

"I win," Jack gloated.

"See if you're saying that later tonight," Ianto said.

Certainly Jack wanted Ianto healthy as quickly as possible, but he would never admit that he actually loved being able to fuss over Ianto, even just a bit. "Never mind about that," Jack said. "Just rest. I'll run back at lunch to check on you, so don't let me find you up and cleaning."

"Or you'll do what?" Ianto challenged.

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing," Jack threatened.

Ianto pouted. "That doesn't sound fun."

Jack shook his head. "It really isn't." Jack left the room for a moment and came back with a couple paracetamol tablets and a glass of ice water. "Now, take your medicine like a good lad and I'll see you later," Jack said, kissing Ianto's forehead.

"Home all day… in bed… and _alone_," Ianto grumbled.

Later that evening, Ianto heard his apartment door shut and had to remind himself not to call out to Jack as it would just lead to a coughing fit. A couple minutes later, Jack came in looking tired.

"Hey. How're you feeling?" he asked, sitting beside Ianto and kissing him on the forehead just as he'd done before he left in the morning.

"Awful," Ianto said honestly.

"I'm sorry."

"Thought you were coming back at lunch?"

"I did," Jack grinned. "You were sound asleep. Didn't want to wake you. Want some chicken soup?"

"Alright."

Jack managed a smile and Ianto reached out as he stood up. "What about you?" Ianto asked.

"I'm fine," Jack said quickly. "Let me get us dinner."

Ianto let him go but as soon as Jack returned with two bowls of soup, Ianto was ready for him. "You died, didn't you? I can tell."

"Just a little death," Jack said with a smirk, setting a bowl on Ianto's nightstand, then climbing onto the bed with his own bowl of soup.

"I don't think the French were thinking of you with that phrase. Then again, who am I kidding? They probably were."

"It was just a rogue weevil incident," Jack admitted. "Unfortunately, neither of us made it."

"No one we know, was it?" Ianto amazed himself by beginning to refer to weevils as individuals, but he'd figured it was to be expected with enough time around Jack.

"Nah, this was further up the bay."

"I should have been there to back you up," Ianto grumbled.

"No," Jack shook his head firmly. "This was a rough one. If it had gotten to you with you not on your game, you might have died instead of me."

After a while, Ianto set his finished bowl aside and said, "Jack… why do you look after me so much?"

"Because I can," Jack said simply. "Because you look after me, and everyone else."

"But that's my job, Jack."

Jack shook his head. "That's not what I mean, Yan. I'm looking after you because I want to, because I care for you. Is it surprising to you?"

"Not surprising, I guess. I'm just not used to it."

"You deserve it, Ianto. Don't ever forget that," Jack said, pulling Ianto into a hug.

Ianto didn't say so, but he always remembered it best when it was Jack holding him.


End file.
